Symptoms Of Hypoparathyroidism Research Articles

Simultaneous operations in patients with combined pathology of the thyroid and parathyroid glands

The combination of thyroid and parathyroid gland pathology is a rather rare combination of diseases that occurs in 2.0–5.0 % of patients with thyroid pathology, and their combination in the population is less than 0.1 %. The aim of the study. To improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with combined pathology of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Materials and methods. The retrospective analysis covers the period from January 2013 to December 2023, during which 912 patients with thyroid pathology were examined and operated on. Examination of patients was carried out according to the method of diagnosis of combined surgical pathology developed by us (utility model patent No. 128139, Ukraine). The gender structure was dominated by female patients: 773 (84.8 %) and 139 (15.2 %). The average age of patients in the study group was 54.9 ± 11.7 years. Results. After the examination, combined surgical pathology was found in 201 (22.1 %) patients. In 36 (17.9 %) of them, the pathology of the prostate gland was detected as a concomitant disease. In the structure of parathyroid pathology in 35 (97.2 %) patients, a benign lesion of the prostate gland was detected, in 1 (2.8 %) – cancer of the parathyroid gland. In the structure of the main thyroid pathology, 14 (38.9 %) patients were diagnosed with multinodular euthyroid goiter, 4 (11.1 %) with mononodous euthyroid goiter, 9 (25.0 %) with diffuse toxic goiter, 3 (8, 3 %) – mononodous toxic goiter, 6 (16.7 %) – papillary thyroid cancer. Clinical symptoms of hypoparathyroidism were observed in 21 (58.3 %) patients after surgery. In 3 (8.3 %) patients, seroma of the neck wound was detected in the postoperative period. There were no fatalities. Conclusions. The use of the developed method of diagnosing combined surgical pathology makes it possible to detect concomitant surgical pathology in 22.1 % of patients with endocrine diseases, which requires simultaneous operative intervention. In the structure of combined surgical pathology, in 17.9 % of cases, a combination of diseases of the thyroid gland and parathyroid gland was observed. Simultaneous surgical intervention for combined thyroid pathology and diseases of the thyroid gland does not lead to an increase in perioperative complications and mortality.

Hypocalcemia in combination with hyperphosphatemia impairs muscle cell differentiation in vitro

PurposeHypoparathyroidism is a rare endocrine disorder characterized by low or absent secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH), which leads to decreased calcium and increased phosphorus levels in the serum. The diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism is based on the identification of the aforementioned biochemical abnormalities, which may be accompanied by clinical manifestations. Symptoms of hypoparathyroidism, primarily attributed to hypocalcemia, include muscle cramps or spasms, facial, leg, and foot pain, seizures, and tingling in the lips or fingers. The treatment of hypoparathyroidism depends on the severity of symptoms and the underlying pathology. Over the long term, calcium supplements, active vitamin D analogs, and thiazide diuretics may be needed. In fact, in patient cohorts in which optimal disease control still remains elusive, replacement therapy with recombinant parathyroid hormone analogs may be contemplated. Despite the predominantly neuromuscular symptoms of hypoparathyroidism, further effects of parathyroid hormone deficiency at the muscle cell level remain poorly understood. Thus, the aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of hypocalcemia in combination with hyperphosphatemia on muscle cells differentiation in vitro.MethodsC2C12 cells, an in vitro model of muscle cells, were differentiated for 2 or 6 days in the presence of hypocalcemia (CaCl2 0.9 mmol/l) and moderate (PO4 1.4 mmol/l) or severe (PO4 2.9 mmol/l) hyperphosphatemia, or combinations of both conditions. Cell differentiation and expression of genes linked to muscle differentiation were evaluated.ResultsThe combination of hypocalcemia with hyperphosphatemia induced a significant reduction (50%) in differentiation marker levels, such as MyoD (protein 1 for myoblast determination) and myogenin on the 1st day of differentiation, and MHC (myosin heavy chains) after 6 days of differentiation compared to control. Furthermore, this condition induced a statistically significant reduction of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) mRNA expression and inhibition of IGF signaling and decrease in ERK phosphorylation compared to control cells.ConclusionsOur results showed that a condition of hypocalcemia with hyperphosphatemia induced an alteration of muscle cell differentiation in vitro. In particular, we observed the reduction of myogenic differentiation markers, IGF-1 signaling pathway, and ERK phosphorylation in differentiated skeletal myoblasts. These data suggest that this altered extracellular condition might contribute to the mechanisms causing persistence of symptoms in patients affected by hypoparathyroidism.

Benign Intracranial Hypertension Due to Hypoparathyroidism: A Case Report.

Objective: The objective of this study is to present the rare case of a young girl with idiopathic intracranial hypertension secondary to hypoparathyroidism.Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is a neurological syndrome characterized by elevated intracranial pressure (> 25 cmH2O) in the absence of intracerebral abnormalities or hydrocephalus. The pathophysiology of idiopathic intracranial hypertension is unknown, and rare cases of idiopathic intracranial hypertension secondary to hypoparathyroidism have been described. It is supposed that hypocalcemia causes decrease in the absorption of cerebrospinal fluid in arachnoidal granulations.Methods: The workup of the girl with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and hypoparathyroidism included physical examination, blood tests, diagnostic imaging, and lumbar puncture.Results: We present a 9-year-old female patient who was hospitalized for headache associated with nausea and vomiting for 3 weeks. She underwent an ophthalmologic examination that revealed papilledema. Lumbar puncture revealed an opening pressure of 65 cm H2O; cerebrospinal fluid analysis and brain computed tomography scan were normal. The patient started taking acetazolamide. Blood tests revealed hypocalcemia associated with high phosphorus level and undetectable PTH hormone, which led us to suspect hypoparathyroidism. She had never had cramps, paraesthesias, or tetany. Chvostek's and Trousseau's signs were positive. In the neck ultrasonography, parathyroids were not visible. Oral supplementation with calcitriol and calcium was started. Headache, nausea, and vomiting immediately disappeared after the lumbar puncture, and the papilledema improved gradually.Conclusions: Several anecdotal cases of idiopathic intracranial hypertension secondary to hypoparathyroidism have been described. However, our case report is of particular interest, since the child did not present with typical neurological hypoparathyroidism symptoms. Therefore, we recommend that hypoparathyroidism should be included in diagnostic investigations on children with clinical findings of idiopathic intracranial hypertension, because clinical manifestations of hypoparathyroidism are variable and may involve almost all organ systems.

Differential diagnosis of idiopathic hypoparathyroidism: a case series

Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is a rare endocrine disease diagnosed when all possible causes of hypoparathyroidism are excluded. Data on the prevalence of idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is limited, there are several local studies in some countries. The variety and non-specificity of the hypoparathyroidism symptoms, similarity to other diseases (eg. epilepsy), causes the misdiagnosis and delay in pathogenetic therapy. Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is rare. Therefore, the absence of neck surgery in the anamnesis practically excludes hypoparathyroidism from the diagnostic search. Moreover, it is necessary to rule out all known causes of decreased PTH hypoparathyroidism to determine the form of non-surgical hypoparathyroidism. We present a case series of idiopathic hypoparathyroidism, which demonstrates the difficulty in diagnosis, and the clinical features of the disease. The article covers also the problem of modern diagnostic approaches including the determination of the interferon-omega for patients with suspected autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 as the most common cause of nonsurgical hypoparathyroidism.

Disease Burden of Patients Living With Hypoparathyroidism: Results From the Voices of Hypopara Survey

Background: Hypoparathyroidism (HP) is a rare disease that is characterized by insufficient levels of parathyroid hormone, resulting in hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia and hypercalciuria. Standard of care (SoC) consists of calcium and active vitamin D supplementation. Some patients may suffer from “calcium crashes”, sudden hypocalcemia symptoms that can be severe enough to require a visit to the emergency room (ER) or urgent care. Conversely, chronic use of SoC supplements can also increase risk of hypercalciuria and renal failure. The HypoPARAthyroidism Association (HPA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of hypoparathyroid patients, developed the “Voices of Hypopara” survey to capture the journey of patients with HP in the US. Methods: The online survey was distributed to all HPA members (approximately 1,000) in May 2020. Questions focused on evaluating patients’ experiences including diagnosis, treatment, quality of care, and impact on daily living. Results: The survey was completed by 146 HPA members (89% female; mean age 51). Most participants reported they are currently taking SoC (calcium 91%; active vitamin D 77%). However, over half felt that this did not optimally address their disease and 29% were extremely concerned about hypocalcemia despite supplementation. Many (69%) felt that taking SoC was moderately to extremely burdensome. More than two-thirds (69%) of respondents reported a “calcium crash” in the past year; of these, 43% reported calcium crashes monthly or weekly. Almost half (42%) of all participants required a visit to an ER/urgent care in the last year as a result of HP symptoms; of these, 56% believed that the staff was inexperienced with management of a calcium crash. More than 60% of participants checked serum calcium levels at least every couple of months at a physician’s office or lab in the past year, with 36% checking monthly or more frequently; the majority of respondents (70%) said the reason was due to symptoms of hypocalcemia. Participants viewed an at-home device for measuring serum calcium, phosphate, and magnesium levels as one key approach to manage their HP symptoms (47% ranked as “most preferred”), followed by more effective medications as the second most preferred option (23%). Almost all (99%) responded that they would use an at-home monitoring device and would test frequently. Conclusions: Results from this survey underscore the high disease burden of patients with HP, highlighting sudden hypocalcemic episodes as a key morbidity despite treatment with calcium and active vitamin D supplementation, and sub-optimal management by clinicians as an impediment to optimal treatment. These findings reinforce the need for more frequent, easily accessible, and real-time serum calcium level monitoring device, more efficacious therapies, and greater disease understanding among health care workers to best manage patients with HP.

Vertebral Fracture Assessment in Postmenopausal Women With Postsurgical Hypoparathyroidism

Hypoparathyroidism is a rare endocrine disorder whose skeletal features include suppression of bone turnover and greater volume and width of the trabecular compartment. Few and inconsistent data are available on the prevalence of vertebral fractures (VF). To evaluate the prevalence of VF assessed by vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) in postmenopausal women with chronic postsurgical hypoparathyroidism. Cross-sectional study. Ambulatory referral center. Fifty postmenopausal women (mean age 65.4 ± 9 years) with chronic postsurgical hypoparathyroidism and 40 age-matched healthy postmenopausal women (mean age 64.2 ± 8.6). Lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip bone mineral density were measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (Hologic Inc., USA) in all subjects. Site-matched spine trabecular bone score was calculated by TBS iNsight (Medimaps, Switzerland). Assessment of VF was made by VFA (iDXA, Lunar GE, USA) using the semiquantitative method and the algorithm-based qualitative assessment. All-site BMD values were higher in the hypoparathyroid vs the control group. By VFA, we observed a 16% prevalence of VF in hypoparathyroid women vs 7.5% in control subjects. Among those with hypoparathyroidism who fractured, 5 (62.5%) had grade 1 wedge, 2 (25%) had grade 2 wedge, and 1 (12.5%) had grade 2 wedge and grade 2 biconcave VF. In the hypoparathyroid group, 57% with VFs and 32% without VFs had symptoms of hypoparathyroidism. We demonstrate for the first time that in postmenopausal women with chronic postsurgical hypoparathyroidism, VFs are demonstrable by VFA despite normal BMD.

Evaluation of Serum parathyroid hormone level measurement in total thyroidectomy patients

Background: Postoperative hypoparathyroidism is a common complication after total thyroidectomy. It is necessary to diagnose hypoparathyroidism immediately after total thyroidectomy for minimizing complications.
 Objective: The objective of this study was to measure and to evaluate the serum parathyroid hormone level in total thyroidectomy patients.
 Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out in the Department of Clinical Pathology in collaboration with Department of Surgery & Department of Otolaryngology of BSMMU and Department of Otolaryngology of DMCH, Dhaka, during the period of September 2010 to August 2011.
 Results: Total 65 patients were studied irrespective of age and sex. Decreased serum PTH was found in 9 cases and normal parathyroid hormone was found in 56 cases. Male was 16.0% and female was 84.0%. Females were predominant. The incidence of hypoparathyroidism was 41.5%. Asymptomatic hypoparathyroidism was found in 8 and symptomatic hypoparathyroidism was found in 1 cases. Decreased serum PTH was developed mostly in malignant thyroid diseases. In relation to preoperative PTH values, intraoperative PTH levels were lower from 5.48% to 90.0%, (mean±SD in percentage is 65.3±16.7, p=.001) which is significant in paired t test. The mean difference of intraoperative (20 minutes after total thyroidectomy), parathyroid hormone levels were statistically significant (p<0.05) between patient with decreased parathyroid hormone and patient with normal parathyroid hormone in unpaired t-test.
 Conclusion: Serum parathyroid hormone level significantly decreased 20 minutes after total thyroidectomy. If clinical sign symptoms of hypoparathyroidism are not developed in postoperative period, patient is safe and can be discharged from hospital.
 Bangladesh J Otorhinolaryngol; April 2017; 23(1): 5-10

Assessing the Patient Experience of Hypoparathyroidism Symptoms: Development of the Hypoparathyroidism Patient Experience Scale-Symptom (HPES-Symptom).

Background and ObjectiveHypoparathyroidism is a rare endocrine disorder characterized by absent or inappropriately low levels of circulating parathyroid hormone. Patients with hypoparathyroidism receiving standard-of-care therapy report debilitating physical and cognitive symptoms, which may indicate a reduced health-related quality of life. The purpose of this study was to develop a new disease-specific measure of the signs and symptoms of hypoparathyroidism, the Hypoparathyroidism Patient Experience Scale-Symptom (HPES-Symptom), and provide evidence for the content validity of items in the measure based on rigorous qualitative research methodologies for patient-reported outcome development.MethodsSemi-structured, individual concept elicitation interviews were conducted with five clinical experts and 42 adults with hypoparathyroidism in the USA to identify the signs and symptoms of relevance and importance to those with the condition. Transcripts were coded and analyzed using an adapted grounded theory approach. Following item generation, cognitive debriefing interviews of the draft measure were conducted in an independent sample of 16 adults with hypoparathyroidism.ResultsOne hundred percent of the concept elicitation patient sample reported experiencing physical symptoms that were attributed to hypoparathyroidism, including tingling/numbness/paresthesia (n = 37, 88%), muscle cramping (n = 36, 86%), and physical fatigue (n = 35, 83%). The majority of patients (n = 36, 86%) further reported experiencing cognitive dysfunction, including impaired memory (n = 24, 57%), impaired ability to have a conversation (n = 21, 50%), and lack of concentration/focus (n = 18, 43%). Seventeen major signs and symptoms were identified during item generation and included in the preliminary measure. After the cognitive debriefing, the 17-item HPES-Symptom was generated.ConclusionsThe findings provided evidence of content validity for the HPES-Symptom in US adults with hypoparathyroidism. Additional research is needed to validate the measure in patients with hypoparathyroidism to assess its psychometric properties.

Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Angiography Can Guide Intraoperative Localization During Parathyroid Surgery.

Intraoperative localization of pathologic parathyroid glands is of major importance for the hyperparathyroidism treatment. Based on the small size and the anatomic variability, the localization can be very challenging. The current practice is to compare preoperative ultrasonography with Technetium-99m sestamibi scintigraphy (MIBI) and plan the resection accordingly. In this study, we implemented indocyanine green angiography for the intraoperative localization of parathyroid glands. This is a retrospective analysis of 37 patients with primary, secondary, or tertiary hyperparathyroidism who were operated using indocyanine green angiography for the intraoperative localization of pathological parathyroid glands. An indocyanine green solution of 2.5 mg was were intravenously administered for parathyroid gland visualization. Different fluorescence scores were correlated with changes in postoperative parathyroid hormone levels. Patients were divided into two groups depending on the presence of uniglandular or multiglandular disease. Sixty-four lesions were resected, and the final histopathologic analysis confirmed the parathyroid origin in 62 of them (96.8%). None of the patients with uniglandular disease developed postoperative hypoparathyroidism, whereas three patients in the multiglandular group developed temporary hypoparathyroidism symptoms. Indocyanine green imaging had higher sensitivity for the intraoperative detection of parathyroid glands compared with ultrasonography and MIBI (p < 0.001). Indocyanine green angiography indicated high sensitivity for the intraoperative identification of pathologic parathyroid glands leading to a resection rate of 95.16%. The modality was useful, especially in cases of revisional surgery or ectopic parathyroid glands. Randomized trials have already proven the value of indocyanine green imaging in predicting postoperative hypocalcemia. Our results support the regular use of this method during parathyroid surgery.

Development of a Patient-Reported Outcome Measure for Chronic Hypoparathyroidism.

IntroductionA patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure specific to chronic hypoparathyroidism is lacking to facilitate the evaluation of treatment. A PRO measure that followed the recommendations of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) PRO guidance was created to address key hypoparathyroidism symptoms.MethodsA literature review was conducted to identify symptoms of hypoparathyroidism and any existing PRO measures appropriate for evaluating these symptoms, followed by concept elicitation interviews involving six individuals with hypoparathyroidism. On the basis of the results of the literature review and interviews, a draft item pool was developed and refined through two sets of cognitive debriefing interviews with six additional patients. A translatability assessment was also conducted to evaluate concepts, phrases, or components of the items that could be problematic in future translations and to identify culturally specific phrasing.ResultsNo PRO measures appropriate to address hypoparathyroidism symptoms documented in the literature were identified. Qualitative research participants included 11 women and one man, with an average age of 49 years; the majority (10) of these participants were white. Concept elicitation interview results were generally consistent with the results of the literature review; the most commonly reported symptoms included issues with cognition, often described as “brain fog” (n = 6), muscle cramping (n = 5), tingling (n = 5), and muscle spasms or twitching (n = 4). The initial draft item pool included 20 items; based upon participant feedback, the final Hypoparathyroidism Symptom Diary comprised 13 items and was found to be easily understood and relevant to the participants. No significant issues were identified by the translatability assessment.ConclusionThe Hypoparathyroidism Symptom Diary was developed following the recommendations of the FDA’s PRO guidance. The measure addresses a comprehensive set of symptoms, as well as key impacts of hypoparathyroidism deemed important by patients.FundingShire Human Genetic Therapies, Inc., Lexington, MA, USA, a member of the Takeda group of companies.

PDB115 IMPACTS OF HYPOPARATHYROIDISM ON PATIENT WORK PRODUCTIVITY AND OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS

Hypoparathyroidism (HP) is a rare endocrine disorder associated with significant physical, psychological, and cognitive symptoms that may contribute to a reduced quality of life. Scant data are available on the economic burden of illness experienced by patients with this condition. This study examined the impacts of HP on patient work productivity and out-of-pocket costs. Using a patient-centered, qualitative study design, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted by telephone with 42 adult patients with idiopathic or post-surgical HP. Transcripts were coded using qualitative analysis software and analyzed for content by theme using an adapted grounded theory approach common to qualitative research. An Independent Review Board approved the study. One-third of the study sample (n=14/42, 33%) reported that they were no longer able to work due to their HP symptoms. Among those currently employed (n=20), 90% (n=18) reported that their HP symptoms interfered with their work productivity, including interference with cognitive functioning/ability to perform cognitive tasks (n=12, 60%), absenteeism (n=8, 40%), interference with physical functioning (n=7, 35%), disruptions to work productivity caused by sudden onset of symptoms (7, 35%), limits to the type of occupation one can do (n=6, 30%), fatigue/tiredness at work (n=6, 30%), and a reduced number of work hours (n=5, 25%). For the entire study sample (n=42), 11 out-of-pocket expenses were reported, the most frequently reported included: medications and supplements (n=28, 67%); loss of income due to taking unpaid time off, reducing the number of hours regularly worked, or no longer being able to work (n=19, 45%); medical visits (n=17, 40%); and travel costs to see specialists (n=11, 26%). Findings from this qualitative study suggest that patients with HP may experience reduced work productivity and multiple out-of-pocket costs. Further research is needed to quantitatively assess the economic burden of illness associated with HP.

Clinical Presentation of Hypoparathyroidism.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is one of the major hormones that regulates serum calcium. Hypoparathyroidism occurs when PTH secretion is insufficient. The main symptoms of hypoparathyroidism are the result of low blood calcium levels, hypocalcemia, which interferes with normal muscle contraction and nerve conduction. As a result, people with hypoparathyroidism can experience paresthesia, an unpleasant tingling sensation around the mouth and in the hands and feet, as well as muscle cramps and severe spasms known as "tetany" that affect the hands and feet. Many also report a number of other subjective symptoms. Hypocalcemia can be the cause of medical emergencies, for example seizures, severe irregularities in the normal heart beat, as well as laryngospasm, stridor, bronchospasm, and wheezing.

Hypoparathyroidism: etiology, clinical manifestation, current diagnostics and treatment

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is the main regulator of calcium and phosphorus metabolism. PTH deficiency or tissue resistance to its effects results in hypoparathyroidism characterized by low serum calcium and elevated serum phosphate levels. The most common is post-operative hypoparathyroidism caused by an inadvertent damage or removal of the parathyroid glands, deterioration of blood supply to the neck region, most often during thyroid surgery. The second common form of the disease is the autoimmune one related with immune destruction of parathyroid cells. Less frequent causes of hypoparathyroidism include a variety of genetic syndromes, mitochondrial genome defects, and hypomagnesemia. The main signs and symptoms of hypoparathyroidism are related to hypocalcaemia and hyperphosphatemia land result in increased neuromuscular irritability and general autonomic reactivity, with finger and toe tingling, muscle cramps, tonic seizures, laryngo- and bronchospasm, and neurosis. These symptoms are closely associated with serum calcium levels; their severity depends on the degree of hypocalcaemia. Laboratory parameters confirming the diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism are hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphatemia, and reduced serum PTH. Treatment of hypoparathyroidism involves management of hypocalcaemic crisis and maintenance therapy. Acute hypocalcaemia, a potentially life-threatening condition, is treated as an emergency with intravenous calcium combined with oral calcium and active vitamin D. Standard chronic treatment for hypoparathyroidism is based on oral calcium and active metabolites of vitamin D / vitamin D analogs and is aimed at the balance between optimal low-normal serum calcium concentrations and normocalciuria. Worsening hypercalciuria is often underestimated by specialists, although it can cause severe renal problems, such as nephrocalcinosis and neprolithiasis. Hypoparathyroidism is one of the few endocrine deficiencies for which replacement treatment with recombinant PTH is not widely used. Replacement therapy with recombinant human PTH is a promising area, especially in severe clinical cases, refractory to conventional treatment.

Presentation of Hypoparathyroidism: Etiologies and Clinical Features.

Understanding the etiology, diagnosis, and symptoms of hypoparathyroidism may help to improve quality of life and long-term disease outcomes. This paper summarizes the results of the findings and recommendations of the Working Group on Presentation of Hypoparathyroidism. Experts convened in Florence, Italy, in May 2015 and evaluated the literature and recent data on the presentation and long-term outcomes of patients with hypoparathyroidism. The most frequent etiology is surgical removal or loss of viability of parathyroid glands. Despite precautions and expertise, about 20-30% of patients develop transient and 1-7% develop permanent postsurgical hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy. Autoimmune destruction is the main reason for nonsurgical hypoparathyroidism. Severe magnesium deficiency is an uncommon but correctable cause of hypoparathyroidism. Several genetic etiologies can result in the loss of parathyroid function or action causing isolated hypoparathyroidism or a complex syndrome with other symptoms apart from those of hypoparathyroidism or pseudohypoparathyroidism. Neuromuscular signs or symptoms due to hypocalcemia are the main characteristics of the disease. Hyperphosphatemia can contribute to major long-term complications such as ectopic calcifications in the kidney, brain, eye, or vasculature. Bone turnover is decreased, and bone mass is increased. Reduced quality of life and higher risk of renal stones, renal calcifications, and renal failure are seen. The risk of seizures and silent or symptomatic calcifications of basal ganglia is also increased. Increased awareness of the etiology and presentation of the disease and new research efforts addressing specific questions formulated during the meeting should improve the diagnosis, care, and long-term outcome for patients.

Early Predictors of Post – Thyroidectomy Hypoparathyroidism

The prospective study included 142 consecutive patients undergoing total thyroidectomy for benign goiter from January 1st 2014 to December 31st 2015. Serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), total calcium (Ca), phosphate (P), and magnesium (Mg) levels have been measured preoperatively and at 1, 6, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. Clinical symptoms of hypoparathyroidism developed in 25 (17.6%) of 142 patients. The best diagnostic accuracy for hypoparathyroidism based on ROC curves was obtained for iPTH at 6h (AUC 0.942; 95% CI: 0.866-1.000, p<0.001) and its percentage change from baseline ΔiPTH at 6h (AUC 0.930; 95% CI: 0.858-1.000, p<0.001). In an multivariate analysis, the preoperative Ca level higher by 0.1 mmol/l, and iPTH level higher by 0.1 pmol/l were associated with a lower risk of hypoparathyroidism, by 68% (p=0.012) and 61% (p=0.007), respectively. A 1% decline in iPTH from baseline increased the risk of hypoparathyroidism by 15% (p<0.001). The most reliable markers indicating a high risk of postoperative hypoparathyroidism are the decline in ΔiPTH at 6h by > 65% or iPTH level at 6h <1.57 pmol /l. A postoperative decline in iPTH levels is an independent risk factor for the development of hypoparathyroidism. Preoperative higher concentrations of Ca and iPTH are protective factors for the development of this disorder.

Successful management of hypoparathyroidism following total thyroidectomy with vitamin D3 alone

To assess the efficacy and safety of a single administration of vitamin D3 for postoperative hypoparathyroidism. Twelve patients with postoperative hypoparathyroidism were enrolled for this study. They had taken calcium and vitamin D3 orally after the surgery and had shown no symptoms of hypoparathyroidism. Then, all patients had changed their regimen to a single administration of vitamin D3 (1α(OH)D3) with monitoring of serum calcium, urine calcium (u-Ca) and creatinine (u-Cre). The dose of vitamin D3 was started at 2.0μg/day and appropriately adjusted to maintain the ratio of u-Ca and u-Cre (u-Ca/u-Cre) at less than 0.3. The physical findings were carefully checked and the serum intact-parathyroid was also estimated. Those data and physical findings were monitored for at least two years. The maintenance dose of vitamin D3 varied from 0.5 to 3.5μg/day, and the mean dose was 2.04μg/day. All patients tolerated changes of regimen without any symptoms of hyper-/hypocalcemia. A single administration of vitamin D3 is not only safe but also an easy and cost-effective regimen. This also makes drug control easy and worthwhile both for patients and clinicians. 2c.

Usefulness of Electrosurgical Techniques in Thyroid Gland Surgery

Wide propagation of new generation of electrosurgical devices such as bipolar vessel sealing systems (eg. Thermostapler® by EMED) enabled seamless closing of blood vessels with a diameter up to 7 mm while maintaining the necessary safety margin, as well as reducing the duration of the operation. We decided to verify these reports in our material. AIM OF THE STUDY was comparison of thyroid surgery performed with the electrocautery tool - Thermostapler ® by EMED with surgery using classic hemostasis technique to evaluate the operative time and complications in the form of bleeding, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, symptoms of hypoparathyroidism, and wound infection. We retrospectively analyzed 256 patients operated in the Department of General and Proctological Surgery Solec Hospital in Warsaw due to inert thyroid goitre. All patients underwent total thyroidectomy. Patients were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of 126 patients operated in 2000, using classic techniques of hemostasis. While the second group consisted of 130 patients operated in 2007-2008 with Thermostapler®. We compared duration of surgery and the incidence of postoperative complications. The operative time was significantly shorter (average 18 minutes) in the second group of patients. We also recorded a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of complications in the group operated with Thermostapler. Use of bipolar vessel sealing system in a decisive manner shortens the duration of operation. Use of bipolar vessel sealing system also enables a radical reduction in the incidence of complications rate such as bleeding, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, symptoms of hypoparathyroidism, and wound infection. In the future, similar studies should be performed to assess the real costs resulting from the use Thermostapler®.

Hypoparathyroidism diagnosed by neurological signs and widespread intracerebral calcifications

Neurological signs associated with intracerebral calcifications require a complex management of calcium, phosphate and parathormone levels and search of a series of general and cerebral disease too. The mechanisms of intracerebral calcification in hypoparathyroidism are not completely known. Neurological signs associated with intracerebral calcification are very rarely the presenting symptoms of hypoparathyroidism. We present 2 cases in which the diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism was brought on by several neurological signs and widespread intracerebral calcification.

PCKM-mPTH recombinant plasmid therapy for hypoparathyroidism: an in vivo experimental research with rats

To investigate the effect of gene therapy with pCKM-mPTH recombinant plasmid on hypoparathyroidism. Thirty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: group A, undergoing fake operation and then injection of normal saline into the quadriceps muscle of the left leg; group B, undergoing parathyroidectomy and injection of blank pcDNA3.1(+) plasmid into the quadriceps muscle of the left leg; and group C, undergoing parathyroidectomy injection of pCKM-mPTH plasmid containing gene of mutated proparat-hormone into the quadriceps muscle of the left leg. Peripheral blood was collected from each rat before operation and 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 15, 20 and 30 days after operation. Radioimmunoassay was used to detect the level of parathyroid hormone. The level of paratheproid hormone (PTH) of the group B was 10.61 ng/dl +/- 0.86 ng/dl before injection of blank plasmid and gradually decreased after the injection, for example, 10.39 ng/dl +/- 0.36 ng/dl 1 day after the injection and 9.45 ng/dl +/- 2.64 ng/dl 60 days after the injection. The level of PTH of the group C was 10.75 ng/dl +/- 0.45 ng/dl before the injection of pCKM-mPTH plasmid and gradually increased after the injection, for example, 28.39 +/- 0.22 ng/dL 1 day after the injection, significantly higher than that before the injection, peaked on the 6th day (43.28 ng/dl +/- 2.45 ng/dl), then gradually decreased, and reached 15.32 ng/dl +/- 0.26 ng/dl on the 60th day. However, the levels of PTH in the group C at any time-point were all significantly higher than those of the group B (all P < 0.01). Symptoms of hypoparathyroidism were not observed in the rats of the group C. pCKM-mPTH recombinant plasmid therapy is effective in treatment of hypoparathyroidism.

Tonic-Clonic Seizures in a Patient with Primary Hypoparathyroidism: A Case Report

Hypoparathyroidism, a life threatening disorder, occurs when insufficient parathyroid hormone is produced to maintain extracellular calcium levels within the normal range. The acute clinical signs and symptoms of hypoparathyroidism are the same as those of hypocalcemia, ranging from tingling to intractable generalized tonic-clonic seizures; therefore, it can be mistaken for epilepsy. We report the case of a 36-year-old man who presented two tonic-clonic seizures, characterized by sudden loss of consciousness with a fall and diffuse tonic contractions and clonic jerks. At first diagnosis of epilepsy was established and therapy with valproate was commenced. In the following days, the patient presented typical signs of hypocalcemia and the diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism was made. In the 4 months follow up, antiepileptic drug therapy was reduced until suspension and calcium supplementation was initiated. We briefly review the most recent reports in the literature.